


Letters to Malfoy Manor

by Lupaatje



Series: Harry at Malfoy Manor [2]
Category: Harry Potter - J. K. Rowling
Genre: Abused Harry, Custody Battle, Dumbledore Bashing, Gen, Good Draco Malfoy, Good Lucius Malfoy, Good Malfoy Family, Good Narcissa Black Malfoy, Good Severus Snape, Hogwarts First Year, Not Canon Compliant - Harry Potter and the Philosopher's Stone, Pureblood Politics, Pureblood Society, Well-Meaning Dumbledore, Wizarding Politics
Language: English
Status: In-Progress
Published: 2018-02-04
Updated: 2019-02-10
Packaged: 2019-03-13 13:22:10
Rating: Not Rated
Warnings: No Archive Warnings Apply
Chapters: 7
Words: 8,235
Publisher: archiveofourown.org
Story URL: https://archiveofourown.org/works/13571421
Author URL: https://archiveofourown.org/users/Lupaatje/pseuds/Lupaatje
Summary: After spending part of the Christmas Holiday at Malfoy Manor, Harry continues with his first year at Hogwarts, and struggles with friendship, Gryffindor/Slytherin interhouse relations, and the mystery of the third floor. At the same time, others are finding a battle for Harry to find a safe home.





	1. Start of Term

**Author's Note:**

> I do not own Harry Potter. Harry Potter, all other characters and anything which is remotely good belongs to the awesome J.K. Rowling. I'm just playing around with these characters and taking them on some AU adventures, hopefully changing their life for the better.
> 
> This story will largely be centered around the letters send to and from Malfoy Manor, during the second half of Harry's first year at Hogwarts. Chapters will be of varying length, updates will be irregularly. If you don't want to miss anything, be sure to subscribe!

Severus sat down in his study, behind his desk, to pen a letter to Lucius. It was just a few hours after he would have left the boys at Kings Cross, and normally he did not have many correspondences at this point in time. However, last night he had received a message from Lucius that he wanted to go on with changing the guardianship of Harry to someone more capable than the Dursleys (Severus had smirked at this, thinking that it would not be so difficult to find someone more capable than the Dursleys), after he had talked about it with Harry and Harry had admitted to some of the abuse and to not wanting to live with his family. Lucius had suggested to get another set of ears and eyes in Hogwarts on their side and watching out for the boy, suggesting Madame Pomfrey as her healer’s oath would protect any sensitive information, and it would be wise to update her about the physical situation anyway, just in case Harry would end up in the Hospital wing.

That morning he had visited Madame Pomfrey, and came across a few surprising facts. The first thing was that none of the first years, not even the Slytherins, had received a customary health check upon entering Hogwarts, while he had received report –being Head of House Slytherin- that a health check had been conducted and no results out of the ordinary had been found. He suspected some memory charm, but there would be no way to find out for sure as the note had already been destroyed (because otherwise he would be drowning in parchment in his office, if he kept notes like that). So on top of starting classes, tomorrow he would also have to make sure that his smallest Slytherins received their health check. Severus sighted, this was probably going to be a complicated term, and started writing his letter to Lucius.

 

 

> _Lucius,_
> 
> _I’ve spoken to Madame Pomfrey_ _as you suggested in your letter of last night. I have handed the result of the medical scans I conducted on Harry Potter a few days ago to her, and spoken to her about the situation, the implied abuse and the possible role that Albus Dumbledore has played in these events. Due to her oath as a Healer, she is not able to communicate any of this information to any party who is not knowledgeable of these facts, as such, anyone except you and myself. Judging from her initial reaction, she would not be willing to do so anyway, as she is quite worried about Harry herself and cross with the Headmaster after coming across the fact that he changed her medical files so that it seemed as if she had conducted medical scans on all first years, while she in reality hadn’t done so at all. We both sense that there is foul play involved here, most likely in the form of a few memory charms. It will be something to further investigating while building the guardianship case for Harry._

 

A chime went off in the office, altering Severus on the fact that the ‘beginning of term feast’ was about to start in the Great Hall. Using long strikes and a few secret passageways, Severus was able to get to the Great Hall before the students arrived, and took his customary seat at the Head Table.

Severus watched with feigned disinterest as his colleagues and the students entered the hall. Seemingly without paying attention to Headmaster Dumbledore and Professor McGonnagol, he listened if they were discussing anything related to Harry Potter’s placement during the holiday. Lucius had never formally gained the acceptance of the school for Harry to leave the Dursleys presence, and while that was strictly not necessary – since the Dursleys were for all intents and purposes Harry’s guardians – in the case of Harry Potter, nothing could ever be normal. As nothing seemed amiss, he turned his attention towards the students in the hall, first at those at his own table, but his eyes also wondered to the black haired mop at the Gryffindor table.

 

* * *

 

Two hours later, after the feast of abundance and making sure his Slytherins were all settled in their dorms, Severus returned to his office, and found the half-finished letter still on his desk. Sitting down, he put his quill to the paper once more, as he had already decided to update Lucius on the well-being of both boys as well, in an effort to avoid an early morning owl from Malfoy Manor waking him up next morning.

 

 

> _I know you are probably wondering about the children. The feast has just ended, and nothing seemed amiss. I don’t think Albus Dumbledore has realized yet that Harry did not spend the entire break and Privet Drive, or he does not care, since he did not inform us – neither at the staff meeting, nor at the feast. Minerva also seems to be completely oblivious to the fact._
> 
> _There was a small altercation at the Gryffindor table, between Harry and the youngest male Weasley spawn. I, personally, would not worry about this, as the young Weasley is known for not having a filter between his head and his mouth at times, and is often part of short-lived quarrels. Draco seemed to be doing fine, although I did notice some hostile glanced from Zabini. I’ll keep an eye on both boys in the coming days, and intervene when strictly necessary – however, I think that these problems are likely to solve themselves within a few days, so do not turn into a mother hen yet._
> 
> _Greetings,_
> 
> _Severus T. Snape_
> 
> _Potions Master at Hogwarts School of Witchcraft and Wizardry_
> 
> _Head of Slytherin House at Hogwarts School of Witchcraft and Wizardry_

Severus sealed the envelope and send the letter of with one of the school owls that was always to his disposal (being Head of House had some perks), before retiring to bed.


	2. Gryffindor Complications

Harry stepped off the Hogwarts Express, closely followed by Theo and Draco, and onto the Platform of Hogmeade’s Station, into the cold Scottish winter night. Stars were clearly visible in the sky, and Harry had missed seeing the familiar sight of mountains, forest and the clear winter sky filled with stars. He sighted for a moment, for all the fun he had had during the Christmas holiday, he was finally home.

“Mate, where have you been?” He heard a familiar voice coming from behind him, and he turned around to see Ron approaching him fast. He took a step towards Ron, stepping in front of Draco and Theo, who had also turned around and stopped walking. Other students were still exiting the train around them, and walking towards to road to Hogwarts.

“Hullo, Ron.” Harry told his friend, a little shy, as the red head stood in front of him, quite somewhat larger than he himself.

“Where were you? We could not find you anywhere among the Griffs on the train?” It was Hermione, who had joined Ron.

Draco stepped forward. “He does not have to tell you where he is as all times, Gra-“ But Harry held out his hand and pushed Draco back.

“I was with Draco and Theo, on the edge of the Slytherin side.” He answered Hermione calmly, while keeping one hand outstretched to keep Draco at a safe distance.

“You were with those snakes!” Ron screamed, causing several people to turn around and look at the gathering of first years. Ron turned to Draco and Theo, angrily. “Why did you kidnap Harry, Malfoy!”

“He didn’t kidnap me, Ron.” Harry raised his voice as well. “We kind of became friends.”

“How do you kind of become friends with that!?” Ron screamed even louder.

In the corner of his eye, Harry saw one of the older students eying them, before whispering something to the person standing next to him. He could not see their house colors in the dark, but he did not recognize them so there was a large chance that they were not Gryffindors. “Shut up, Ron.” He told his first friend.

Ron stomped away angrily, Hermione quickly following him but turning around to give Harry an apologetic glance. Meanwhile, the older student was approaching the group of three students who stayed behind. The rest of the platform had almost been cleared of any other students.

While Harry was still staring in the direction wherein Ron and Hermione were vanishing, the older student spoke to the three of them. “You need to get to the carriages, the feast is starting soon.”

Draco got Harry’s attention by pulling on the side of his robe, and the three of them followed the older boy to the road towards Hogwarts, where they saw a few carriages driving away and one girl waiting by the last carriage. The older boy got in first, then Theo, Draco and Harry followed.

Harry eyes the older boy and girl, now that they were close and he was paying attention, he could see the scarf in Slytherin colors they had tied around their necks, and the green badge with the prefect logo, gleaming on their outer robes in the light of the lanterns on the horseless carriage. Draco saw Harry looking, especially since subtilarity was not Harry’s strong suit. And move to introduce both prefects of his house.

“Harry, these are Marcus Flint and Gemma Farsley – Slytherin sixth year prefects. Marcus, Gemma – I am sure there is not really a need to introduce you, but this is Harry Potter. Harry has become a friend of my family during the holidays.” Draco said, in a formal tone.

Harry gave a quick nod to the Slytherin prefects, not sure how to compose himself within the formal environment Draco had created. And his introduction had been a little… weird. What Harry did not understand is that by telling his Prefects that Harry was friendly with the Malfoys, Draco had basically told them that anything which was done against Harry would bring the wrath of the Slytherin family – and by the fact that Draco’s godfather was Slytherin Head of House and that Lucius had quite a lot of power in the Ministry of Magic, the Malfoy name was quite a powerful tool within the house of Slytherin.

“So, did you firsties enjoy your first Christmas after starting Hogwarts.” Gemma asked, sensing Harry’s tension and the oblivion of the other three Slytherins.

The three boys opposite her nodded, as the carriage finally began moving towards the castle. The rest of the short carriage ride was spend exchanging pleasantries. Marcus told the three boys of his new racing broom – and eyed Harry when saying that it would greatly enhance his performance on the Quiditch field.

Upon arrival to the castle, the group of five joined the last students walking towards the Great Hall, where they split up: Gemma, Marcus, Theo and Draco walked towards the Slytherin table, and Harry crossed the Great Hall to go sit at the Gryffindor table.

It wasn’t long until Harry spotted Hermione and Ron sitting together with Neville, Seamus, Dean and Parvathi. He slit in next to Neville, who was sitting next to Hermione, who was sandwiched between Ron and Neville. Ron did not look at Harry, while Hermione mouthed “sorry”, and reached behind Neville to touch his shoulder quickly. The rest of the feast was spend talking to Neville and Dean, while Ron remained grumpy and complained about Harry going dark and green – Seamus seemed to agree with Ron, but Neville and Dean tried to ignore his complains and kept talking to Harry about their holidays, and the difference between how Muggles and Wizards celebrated Christmas and the New Year. Dean told this fascinating story about fireworks – Harry had heard of them before but never actually seen them because he had never been allowed – and Neville was simply amazed by the fact that Muggles would willingly send of explosions as a way of celebration.

 

Later that night, when Harry had showered and dressed in his pyjamas and had closed the curtains around his bed, he took out the letter from Lucius and Narcissa again, and re-read it, while stroking the soft and even off-white parchment. He got out a quill set of his own, and decided to write his first letter back then and there, they would surely appreciate it.

 

> ~~Dear mister and misses Malfoy,~~
> 
> Dear uncle Lucius and aunt Narcissa,
> 
>  
> 
> I do not really know how to write letters to people, as I have never really done this before – apart from Hagrid, but his letters do not  count, they were more short notes on scrap parchment. I’ve tried to find a nice piece of parchment, like the ones I make homework on, but I think my parchment is not as nice as yours, and it might become a bit crumbly from writing this letter in my bed.
> 
> I’ve just arrived in Hogwarts a few hours ago. It was strange, like coming home. It gave me a warm feeling, like I really belonged here and I was so happy to be back. But it was also a little weird, Ron (Weasley, one of my yearmates in Gryffindor and a ~~good~~ friend) is being weird about the fact that I am now friends with Draco and Theo. Some others agree with him. I do not really understand why, and I really want to keep being friends with him, but also with Draco and Theo. It is just a bit complicated.
> 
> I’m not a nerd, but I am kind of exited to start my classes again. I think I did really well on my homework, and I want to know what the professors think about it. I also think that my new books (have I said thank you already for taking my to Diagon Alley to get them?) will really help me in classes and with homework. I’ve already learned so much from the one about Potion’s ingredients.
> 
>  
> 
> Thank you for allowing me to write you. It does not solve anything, but it really made me feel better about the Ron-thing. I hope I did okay in writing a letter, as it is my first, really.
> 
> ~~Goodnight,~~
> 
> Greetings,
> 
> Harry Potter

**Notes for the Chapter:**

> Finally a new chapter! Thank you for all the overwhelming responses and well-wishes for my internship and thesis. I'm really happy with so may positive responses and people telling me they are willing to wait for chapters. I hope you enjoyed this chapter and that it was worth the wait. For all fans of Ron out there - it will get better at some point, I promise, but I just had to have Ron get angry... Sorry for you.
> 
> It has taken me some time to get used to my internship position (and a new place to live, again), but I'm getting to know my way around.
> 
> A question regarding writing, for my fellow writers out there: Do you plan your storylines in advance? And how do you do so? I think I might do it for this story, as I have multiple story elements to keep track of (Ron&Harry, Draco&Harry, Guardianship, Philosopher Stone), but I don't really know how to write down a plan or storyline. Any advice or examples would be welcome!


	3. Breakfast and Malfoy Manor

Lucius scoffed after reading Severus’ letter. Him? Turning into a mother hen at the first sign of any trouble. He might be protective of his son, but that was taking it a bit far. With the letter in hand he walked to the master bedroom, where Narcissa had already retired.

“What has happened?” Narcissa asked, as Lucius walked in clenching the piece of parchment in his hand.

“Nothing, love.” He said, bowing down to give her a kiss before stripping to his boxers and handing her the letter. “It is a letter from Severus, he has talked to Pomfrey and she likely is on our side.”

While Narcissa read the letter, Lucius slid into the bed beside her. Narcissa chuckled when reading the end of the letter. She looked at Lucius and he was raising an eyebrow in question. “Severus knows you to well.”

“I am not a mother hen.” Lucius replied to her.

“If you say so, love. But I know you will be the one awaiting a letter from your son in the next couple of days.” Lucius huffed at her reply.

It was silent for a moment. “I miss them already.” He said.

Narcissa turned sideways and stroke his face, feeling the slight stubble that had grown there since her husband had shaved that morning. “Me too, Luc, both of them.”

She kissed him goodnight while he turned to embrace her, and like that they were falling asleep, thinking about the two boys in their Scottish dorm rooms.

 

* * *

 

 

The next morning at breakfast two owls approached the manor, each landing gracefully on the perch in the living room and holding out the letter they had been carrying. Lucius recognized his son’s handwriting on one of them, and took it from the school owl, while Narcissa took the other owl’s letter.

With quick movement that betrayed his curiosity at what his son had written and the will to know what had happened in the 22 hours since they had said goodbye, Lucius opened the letter.

 

> _Dear Father, Mother,_
> 
> _We arrived at Hogwarts a few hours ago. Not much has changed over the holiday, but now that the excitement of starting a new schoolyear is gone, I miss the quietness of our manor and the privacy of my own bedroom. I can’t wait to get to third year and get my own bedroom._
> 
> _The train ride was okay. Me, Theo and Harry had lots of fun playing games and talking about our holidays. And then Theo and Harry spend some time reading a book, and I also started to read one of the ones you gave me for Christmas – but only because I was bored. The story was quite neat actually._
> 
> _On the platform Weasel and Granger almost ambushed us. Weasel was most unpleasant towards Harry, and the two Gryffs ended up storming off to the castle. I introduced Harry to Marcus and Gemma and made sure they know that he is under the protection of house Malfoy. Within a day all Slytherin will know, which will hopefully keep Harry safe at school, even if the Gryffindors are horrible at him. He looked pretty sad sitting at the table on his own, without his friends. Do you think I can ask him to sit with Slytherin, or would that be too obvious?_
> 
> _Well, I have to go to sleep. Blaise is already snoring, so I’m glad you taught me the silencing charm over winter break. Tomorrow morning classes start again._
> 
> _Regards,_
> 
> _Draco Lucius Malfoy_

 

Lucius smiled at Draco’s letter – the combination of perfect politeness and his youthful character shining through. He couldn’t help but feel an immense pride of his son. He knew how to behave when it mattered, but wasn’t a stuck up pureblood robot, like most children had been in his generation.

 

He held the letter out to Narcissa, seeing that she had also finished the letter she had been reading. When exchanging letter, he immediately recognized the handwriting of Harry. He hadn’t expected him to write them so soon, or take them up on the offer to call them aunt and uncle (terms the boy hadn’t learn to cherish, like most purebloods were taught). He smiled at the innocence and insecurity of his words, before recalling what Severus had spoken to him about. There had been an altercation between the boy and the youngest Weasley – supposedly Harry’s best friend.

The boy was asking for guidance, without directly asking for help. A Slytherin, or an older child, might have done it in a more cunning way, but Lucius already recognized a slight bit of cunning in the child’s wordings.

 

Narcissa sighted after finishing Draco’s letter. “He has really grown up so fast.” She said, more to herself than to Lucius, as she laid down the letter on the table, and moved to make sure that the owls had some food and water before making the journey back to Scotland.

“Draco is missing home already.” Lucius answered. “And I think Harry misses the non-complexity of the past week.” He sighted.

“Are you worried?” Narcissa asked. Lucius remained silent. “Just give them some time to settle in again.” She said after a few seconds. “This was their first night. Everyone needs a few days to get used to being in Hogwarts again. Even you did, as a seventh year, if I remember correctly.”

She smiled as she thought back on how grumpy and sullen Lucius had been after his last winter break. She had waited for a few days and then cornered him to talk to him about what was bothering him. She had ended up dragging him to the kitchen for some Butterbeer, and told him that it was okay to miss home, even if one was already 17 years old. Then she had told him that he was lucky to have something to miss. She remembered her own jealousy, as she was rather at Hogwarts than at Black manor most of the time, with her wicked sister and aunt that were trying to control the family. She was glad that she could escape in her marriage to Lucius (whose wealth and pureblood status were largely respected within the Black family) and leave her family’s house permanently – only coming back for family occasions, like the good pureblood daughter she was taught to be.

“You are right, they will be fine.” Lucius said, becoming more and more aware of how he worried about both boys, and not just Draco’s welfare.

 

Narcissa said back at the table, and Lucius clapped his hands before breakfast appeared on the table. As he dug in to his French toast, he was still thinking about his boys and what they had written, and also about what Severus had written. He would need to get to his office and write them some responses.

**Notes for the Chapter:**

> I know, I haven't updated in ages. And I really wish to thank everyone who has send reviews and messages over the past weeks and months. Reading them was what pushed me over the edge to write this chapter - I didn't really feel like it, but it is nice now that I have put something on paper again. I hope you like it, because it took me some getting back into the story.
> 
> As I said before, life is pretty hectic. I'm doing a fulltime internship (often even fulltime + some hours) and trying to make time for writing my thesis (and taking care of myself, by doing stuff like eating, sleeping and occasionally socializing). I enjoy life, but it is so busy that I don't really have any time to spare. And after spending 12+ hours behind a laptop a day, writing fanfiction isn't really the first thing on my mind.


	4. Frenemies in Potions

**Summary for the Chapter:**

> Harry reads a book, and has his first day of lessons; Ron still dislikes his friendship with Draco.

Harry woke up in the warm comfort of his familiar bed in the Gryffindor tower. He stretched his arms, and took a look at the clock. It was still early in the morning, and his bed was still comfortable and warm. He snuggled back under the warm covers and comforter, while grabbing a book of his nightstand. It was a book on the customs and culture of the magical world, originally written for Muggleborns and Halfbloods to aid them in understanding the world they had joined. Uncle Lucius had recommended it to him when they were shopping in Diagon Alley, and it was one of the books Harry had looked forward to reading – although it might seem like something Hermione would read – as it might help him understand some of his friend and teachers better. If he had learned one thing at Malfoy Manor over the Christmas break, it was that not everything was always as it seemed to be, and no book should be judged by it’s cover.

With his pillow under his chest, he started reading the book, which was explaining about traditional wizarding families and everything that came with it, like heirs and lords, godparents and the role of different family members in a family. Harry read the book with interest, and had a parchment notebook on the side (a very handy thing he had gotten in Diagon Alley), on which he would occasionally note down some questions – he might be able to ask them to Draco, or Ron, or write them in his next letter. While he continued reading about the roles of people in the family, he got to the following passage:

_The role of an aunt and uncle are often similar to that of the godparents. They are there to guide the child and be a source of disciplinary actions if necessary, but they are also a sort of adviser to the child. They have more distant to the child than the parents, and are often consulted in family matters or personal matters that the child might find embarrassing. If the child grows older, the role of the aunt and uncle change, they are a person of trust and confidentiality, persons to teach family customs and family magic.  Should the aunt and/or uncle not have children of themselves, nephews and nieces often watch out for them when they grow older. Wizarding families are small, so there are often just a few aunts and uncles and they are cherished by both underage and adult children of the family._

_Sometimes, people will declare themselves to be an aunt and/or uncle to a child and/or ask a child to refer to them as such, this is either done if they are asked to act as an additional/replacement of a godparent, in case of orphans, or when one or more parent is of non-magical background. This means that the child is granted an honorary place in the family, without having a strict family relationship. The self-proclaimed aunt and uncle can act as a guardian, advisor and protector to the child._

Harry was amazed now that he understood the deeper meaning of Lucius and Narcissa calling themselves his uncle and aunt. He had though it was because mister and misses had just sound too formal after all they had done for him. He initially did not associate the words with the care and gentleness that they had shown him, but rather with the place he had had within the Dursley household. However, not that he read this passage in the book, he understood the deeper meaning behind the title, and the meaning it had in the wizarding world. It warmed his heart to know that he had them to look after him.

He continued reading the book with a smile on his face.

 

* * *

 

An hour later, the first alarm clock went off, and some of the other boys also started waking up. Ron avoided to look at him while they dressed together, Harry in his new, better fitting, robes.

At the breakfast table, Harry sat down next to Ron, who immediately turned to the other side to talk to Seamus. Harry heard part of their conversation while starting to eat his breakfast, they were discussing how it was so impossible for a Gryffindor to befriend a Slytherin, especially if that Slytherin was the child of a Death Eater and probably a junior Death Eater himself.

“Hey Harry.” Neville said quietly, while he sat next to Harry at the table.

“Hi Nev.” Harry answered, swallowing the last of his toast. “How was Christmas?”

“Christmas was great!” Neville said, while grabbing himself some toast, bacon and eggs. “My gran and uncle took me for a trip to a Herbologist Center, where they had all these rare magical plants. My uncle was not paying attention and trying to prove to gran that the plants were harmless, and then one of them bit them in his finger!” Neville smiled at the memory, before putting some toast in his mouth and asking Harry how his Christmas had been.

Harry shrugged, not really knowing how to answer that question without revealing where he had spent part of his Christmas break and getting in an even bigger argument with Ron, or getting into an argument with Neville as well. “It was fine, I went to Diagon Alley and got myself some extra books so I have been reading and learning some more about how the Wizarding World works and about Wizarding culture. It is really fascinating!”

Neville chuckled at his enthusiasm, while he and Harry continued eating their breakfast.

 

* * *

 

It was almost the end of the first day, and Harry was growing really tired of how Ron was continuously ignoring him or making rude comments to his face. Their last lesson was potions, and as they had paired together in the beginning of the year, they had to work together this time as well.

The first half of the lesson was theory about the potion that they would be making, and it was rather all right, apart from the comments Ron kept making under his breath. However, in the second half of the lesson they had to actually collaborate to brew the potion, which off course was not possible without them talking to each other. Ron tried really hard to keep the communication to a minimum, only naming the ingredient he needed, or short missives like “You do the ginger roots, I’ll powder the horn.”

When the potion got into the last phase, Ron was continuously stirring the potion, while Harry was cutting up the last ingredient. After Ron had finished counting to 20 clockwise and 20 counter-clockwise stirring motions, he got the stirrer out and looked at Harry dicing the last ingredient. “So, how does it feel to be a traitor to your house?”

Harry stopped cutting, and actually looked at Ron for a moment, seeing the hard stare from the normally so kind brown eyes. “I’m not a traitor, Ron, I’ve just made a friend, I have not abandoned anyone.”

Ron snorted. “You cannot be friends with him and me at the same time,” he stared at the back of Draco Malfoy, who was sitting up front with Theodore Nott, “and I was your friend first.” He added, as if that would end the discussion.

Harry doubted. Ron was right, he was his friend first and actually his first friend. But could he give up his new friend for his old friend? There were plenty of people in Hogwarts who had multiple friends, and if he had understood the interactions of older students and the adults around him correctly, people could have multiple friends and not all their friends necessarily had to like each other.

“I will not give up your friendship, Ron, but I will also not give up on talking to Draco.” He said, quietly but trying to sound confident, as he was finishing up dicing the last bit of ingredient.

Suddenly Ron shoved him, and his knife slipped and hit his left hand instead of the root. He gave a short yell and pulled his hand to himself, away from the potion ingredients, while simultaneously stepping away from Ron. As Ron looked at him angrily before dropping the cubes in there potion, professor Snape appeared next to their desk.

“What is going on here?” He said, his voice soft but dangerous.

Harry cringed. The professor sounded angry, and he did not dare looking at him. “Potter cut his hand, professor.” Ron answered, sounding as innocent as possible.

“Mister Weasley, finish you have three minutes of class left to finish the potion.” Snape increased the volume of his voice while saying this, also warning the rest of the class that they should be finishing up and bottling their potion to bring to the front. “Mister Potter, come with me.”

Snape pulled Harry by his arm to the front of the classroom, and through a door into his office, where he put him sitting on the couch. He opened a cabinet and got out a clean piece of cloth, which he put around Harry’s bleeding hand. “I will be back within a few minutes, mister Potter, please hold that there.” He said, while pointingly looking at the cloth before walking back into the classroom.

After a few minutes, Harry could hear the sound of twenty chairs moving and his classmates leaving the classroom, before Snape returned into his office, and took a chair to sit in front of Harry and unwrap his hand.

“Could you tell me which of the ingredients you had cut with that knife, before cutting yourself?” Snape asked, while simultaneously handing Harry an ingredient list. Harry pointed out those he had cut up with his knife.

“Okay, no need to worry, there is no combination of those ingredients that will pose an immediate danger when they get into the bloodstream.” He said, while looking at Harry’s face. “That is something you always need to keep in mind when having an accident while making potions of working with potions, and even in working in Herbology or Care of Magical Creatures – should you choose to take that subject in your third year.”

Snape stepped to the cabinet again, getting out a small jar and some bandages, while Harry continued cradling his cut left hand. “I will put some cream on it, that works as a disinfectant and speeds up the healing process, and then wrap up your hand. If all is well, your hand should be fine tomorrow morning, but if it starts hurting or if you don’t feel so good, please come to me or go to madam Pomphrey.” Snape instructed Harry before putting the cream on his hand.

When the first of the cold ointment touched the cut, Harry had to fight the urge to take his hand away, while tears sprung into his eyes and he let out a small yelp. “It really stings, sir.” He told Snape.

“I know, mister Potter, but it only will for a little bit, do you think you can let me finish?” Snape asked, noticing the tears in Harry’s eyes.

Harry nodded, not trusting his voice to answer. Snape wrapped up the hand, and to a clean cloth to wipe the blood from Harry’s other hand, then using a tissue to wipe away the two tears that had escaped Harry’s eyes.

“Are you okay, Harry?” The use of his first name did not go unnoticed to the boy.

“Yes, sir, thank you, sir, the stinging has almost stopped.” He answered.

“Then you are good to go again, mister.” Snape answered, while standing up and opening the door from his office to the hallway. He made a movement with his wand, and suddenly had Harry’s school bag in his hand. “Go make your homework, two inches on the functions of the potion you brew today, to be handed in on Friday.”

“Yes sir.” Harry answered, walking out into the hallway. “Thank you again, sir.”

Snape did not say anything until Harry had already left the hallway. “Anytime, Harry, anytime.”

**Notes for the Chapter:**

> So yeah, this is the new chapter. I have finished my internship, but am still working on my thesis. And although I am making 40 hour work weeks, I am enjoying ALL the free time. Quite sad if you think about it… The chapter is super long compared to the previous chapters, and contains no letter at all (at first it was my idea to have a letter in each chapter, but then I got this idea and I did not want to force a random letter into it because that was the format I decided upon six months ago XD). 
> 
> Thank you everyone for your reactions in my months of silence. nomdemprunt, Wolfawaken thank you for your kind words and words of motivation, and your words about not rushing my writing when life is busy – it is great to have such understanding readers. 
> 
> Let me know what you thought of this chapter, and what you would like to see in the next chapters. Your comments are always a great source of motivation!


	5. Chapter 5

**Summary for the Chapter:**

> Lucius goes to Gringotts and McGonagall talks to Ron and Harry about their fight.

It was midmorning halfway January, when Lucius Malfoy stood outside of Gringots Wizarding Bank. He had previously send them a letter, enquiring about the state of guardianship of one Harry James Potter, but had gotten the reply that this information could not possibly be shared in mail but that he had to visit the bank in person.

 

> _Lord Malfoy,_
> 
> _We write to you in response to your enquiry concerning the young Heir Potter, Harry James. We cannot share information concerning the (magical) guardianship of Harry James Potter with you in writing, but would like you to speak to the Potter account manager, Griphook, at your earliest convenience._
> 
> _Sincerely,_
> 
> _Gornuk_

 

With the letter in one of the many pockets of his robes, Lucius entered the building and walked up to the reception desk. The bank was a busy coming and going of people, as usual, but after his many visits to the place, this no longer surprised Lucius.

“May your gold flow plentifully on this day.” Lucius greeted the goblin behind the reception desk.

“May your fortune ever increase, Lord Malfoy.” The goblin answered him. “What can Gringotts mean for you today?”

“I would like to speak to the account manager of the Ancient and Noble House of Potter, Goblin Griphook.” Lucius answered, while unfolding the letter and placing it on the reception desk.

The goblin stood up and motioned for Lucius to follow him, escorting him to an office. After waiting in the office for a few minutes, another goblin, Griphook (Lucius guessed) appeared.

“May your gold flow plentifully on this day.” Lucius greeted the goblin.

“May our fortune ever increase.” Replied the goblin. “I understood, Lord Malfoy, that you are here concerning the Potter accounts. How come? I was not aware of an allegiance between the house of Malfoy and the house of Potter?”

“It has come to my attention, through my son, that Heir Potter takes residence at his Muggle aunt and uncle.” Lucius started. Griphook looked surprised at this. “It has also come to my attention,” Lucius continued after a short pause, “that Heir Potter is not treated … ideally by these family members. Hence the fact that I took a personal interest in the faith of the young Heir, as any Lord of an Ancient and Noble House should do for the Heir of another one of the 28 Ancient and Noble Houses.”

 “I see.” Griphook nodded. “Unfortunately, there is no information I am at liberty to discuss with you, regarding the Potter will as it has been sealed by the Wizengamot. However, I would advise you to ask the members of the Wizengamot for a reading of the will.”

Lucius observed the goblin, who was giving him a toothy grin and a not all too pleasant look. “Will the unsealing of the will help me in getting Heir Potter in a safe place where he can learn about his duties in a manner fitting of a young heir?”

Griphook’s grin grew larger. “I fear I am not at liberty to discuss this information with you, Lord Malfoy. But trust me if you will, the reading of the will will prove to be most interesting.”

Five minutes later Lucius was standing outside the wizarding bank, still unsure about the conversation he had just had, and for whom it would be interesting the release the Potter will, and for whom it would be beneficial – for all formalities and respect he gave the goblins, one could never be too sure of their intentions.

 

* * *

 

It was a week after the incident in Potions class, and Harry and Ron were still not speaking. Harry’s hand had healed with the help of the ointment professor Snape had applied to it, although he had kept the bandage on for two days. Harry now just avoided sitting next to Ron in class, often choosing to sit next to Hermione – who was put in an awkward position between Harry and Ron – and Neville.

Harry started to notice that it was actually easier to concentrate on classes sitting next to Neville. While he had always enjoyed having classes with Ron and they had great fun, it did sometimes distract from the lectures. With Neville next to him, they could both pay attention to the lecture, and often he and Neville could figure things out together if they were unsure on how to do something or how to execute a spell.

Most time Harry spend studying, he did it in the library. Not only as a way to avoid Ron in the Gryffindor common room, but also to have a chance to study together with Theo and Draco, who were often joined by Daphne and some Ravenclaws.

 

The animosity between Ron and Harry did not go unnoticed by the teachers, and it did not take more than one and a half week for both Harry and Ron to be escorted to professor McGonagall office by Percy Weasley.

“Mister Potter and mister Weasley, I have heard from several teachers that you seem to have a problem with each other, and have also observed in my own classroom. You have not only been caught in fights”, she looked pointedly at Harry’s long-healed hand at this, “but the animosity between the two of you is also disrupting the classroom.” She let there be a silence for a moment, in which both boys were avoiding to look at her and at each other. “Would any of you care to explain to me what the problem is.”

Harry continued to look at his shoes, there seemingly being no thing that held his interest more at the moment. However, Ron choose to speak up. “Harry has betrayed me, Hermione and all of Gryffindor by becoming friends with some slimy snakes.”

Professor McGonagall nodded. “And mister Weasley, would you care to explain to me in what way befriending a fellow student, regardless of house affiliations, would be considered a betrayal.”

“Well… I.” Ron spluttered. “Harry belongs to us. We are Gryffindors, and Gryffindors do not befriend Slytherins.”

“Mister Weasley, it seems you are repeating something you have heard somewhere else. Let me tell you this. Yes, there is no great foundation of friendship between Gryffindor and Slytherin, and yes I know that some professors favor one house over the other”, a small smile grew on Harry’s face as he thought of how Snape blatantly favored his Slytherins, “but the houses of Hogwarts are not each other’s enemies.”

McGonagall now turned to Harry. “Mister Potter, what do you think about all of this.”

Harry looked at her, still avoiding Ron’s gaze. “I just do not understand, professor.” He did not elaborate further on what he didn’t understand. There was enough that could be filled in, the animosity between houses, why Ron was angry, why he was in her office, why she seemed to care.

“Well,” professor McGonagall spoke to both boys, “I suggest you stop behaving like this immediately. I am not asking you to be each other’s best friend, but I ask you to not be hostile towards each other. You still share a dorm, you are still Lions and you are still classmates. I will not have you disrupt my house, this school and its classes any longer with your fight. The next time I hear a complaint, be it from a fellow student or from a teacher, both of you are in detention.”

Both boys remained silent, yet again avoiding each other’s and McGonagall’s gaze. “Am I clear?” She asked.

“Yes, professor.” Both boys replied, before leaving her office, each choosing a different route back to their shared tower.

 

**Notes for the Chapter:**

> Sorry that it took me like forever to update! I always thaught I was going to love writing a thesis and researching my own project, but it turned out to not be the case that much (oops), and the past months have been kind of rough. However, I am almost finished, and I can present you with a new chapter.
> 
> Thanks for all the reactions I have gotten in the meantime!


	6. Tears in a Hogwarts Alcove

**Notes for the Chapter:**

> Okay, so there was some confusion about why McGonnagal spoke to both boys like that in the previous chapter. Basically, my idea was (and I think that might have been only clear in my head) that the hostility between the boys had been the cause of multiple problems, like in potions and was disrupting classrooms and meals. I hope that clears it up a bit, and I have also described the problem differently, and from a different perspective in this chapter.

It was the small sniffle of a crying child that sounded through the corridor of the Charms classroom that night, and it caught the attention of the rounding prefect. It was after curfew, and the corridors of Hogwarts were dark and abandoned. Four nights a week, the prefects would round the castle after curfew, the other nights teachers would perform that duty. Gemma was walking the castle with the male Ravenclaw prefect, while quietly discussing the theory of charm invention and their projects when the sound caught her ear.

“Hillard, can you wait on me for a second?” Gemma asked the Ravenclaw prefect, as she walked towards the source of the sound. Robert Hillard stayed behind, a slightly annoyed look on his face as anything that disturbed a quiet night of rounding the hallways meant the end to an interesting scholarly discussion.

Gemma had walked up to the alcove, and saw a small, black-haired boy sitting in it, a first year, she would assume, who was quietly crying while hiding in his robes. She reached out her hand to softly lay in upon his shoulder, as to not startle the child, but it had the exact opposite effect. The child looked up with green eyes filled with fear and tried to get back and disappear into the wall. It was then that she recognized the boy from the carriage – Harry Potter – the one the young Malfoy heir had introduced her to.

“Hey Harry,” she spoke softly. “It is just me, Gemma Farley. Draco Malfoy introduced us in the carriages a few weeks back.” She introduced herself to Harry, and some of the tension seemed to seep away from his shoulders. “Are you hurt? Is everything okay?”

Harry just looked at her and shook his head. Gemma didn’t know if this meant he wasn’t hurt, of if it meant that he wasn’t okay. Tears kept leaking from his eyes, and he moved a hand to rub them. She took a small step to him to get a little closer, and took it as a good sign that he did not make an effort to get farther away from her – not that he could have, having folded himself into the small corner of the alcove. She moved one hand to his back, and started rubbing small, soothing cycles over the boy’s uniform.

“Harry, can you tell me what is wrong?” She asked, still with a soft voice. A peak over her should told her that Hillard had come a little closer, but was keeping his distance by leaning against the opposite wall of the corridor, a few meters away, while observing her.

“I – I had to” Harry started speaking, stuttering over the words as if struggling to get them out. “I had to go to McGonnagal ‘cause Ron and I… Ron isn’t… doesn’t want to be my friend anymore.” He stared out of the window after saying that, as if there still was a point in hiding his tears at that point in time.

“I have heard in the last prefect meeting that there were some incidents between you and Ronal Weasley since you’ve both returned to Hogwarts.” Gemma supplied, getting a small idea of what this was about. “Did Professor McGonnagal want to talk to the two of you about that?”

Harry simply nodded.

“And are you upset because of that meeting with the professor, or because of your arguments with mister Weasley?” Gemma asked.

Tears welled in Harry’s eyes again. He shrugged. They were silent for a moment, as Harry was fighting against more tears threatening to fall.

Suddenly Gemma felt the hand of another on her shoulder, it was Hillard standing behind her. He handed her a handkerchief. “Do I need to get a professor?” he mouthed the words to her. She shook her head, she could handle it for now and did not think calling for the boy’s head of house was a good course of action at this point.

“Harry?” She asked, waiting for the boy to make eye contact with her again. As he looked at her, she continued speaking. “Are you upset over the argument between you and Weasley, or is there anything more?”

Harry nodded, then shook his head, and then stared out of the window again. Not much of a meaningful answer. He was silent for a bit. “Ron was my first ever friend. He was the first one Dudley could not stop from being my friend. And then Hermione became my friend too. And I guess Neville and I also are kind of friends. But now Ron hates me because Draco became my friend, and Hermione is always with him and Neville does not dare to stand up to him. And I don’t know if Draco is really my friend, or just pretending and I just don’t know and I just don’t understand. Am I alone?” Harry started talking faster and faster as he sped to his explanation. The question at the end almost broke Gemma’s heart – at least in Slytherin she had always known she could rely on her fellow Slytherins to be her family and support her, and she had friends from before Hogwarts that she remained friends with.

“Harry, try to breath. Slowly in and out.” She watched the child try to calm his breathing. “Good, that is it.” She said as his breathing had evened out, and he was no longer on the verge of hyperventilation. “You know Harry, everyone has difficulties with their friends sometimes. Sometimes you have arguments, and sometimes you lose friends over silly things. And sometimes you don’t know whether someone is really a friend or not. But I think you can trust Draco, when we were riding the carriage he told us – in some other words – that you were under the protection of the Malfoy family, and thereby that you were in some way under the protection of Slytherin house. He would not have given us that warning had there been anything beyond genuine friendship or feelings of kinship with you.”

“Really?” Harry asked, green eyes wide and full of admiration for the prefect in front of him, but still carrying the tear tracks on his face.

“Yes, really.” Gemma chuckled and was silent for a moment. She saw a small smiled had formed again on Harry’s face, as he tried to wipe the half-dried tears from his face. “Now how about we quickly wash your face and walk you back to Gryffindor tower? I don’t know if you have noticed, but it is beyond curfew young man.” She said that last bit in a mocking-strict voice, as if she was trying to imitate professor McGonnagal or Snape.

Harry nodded and followed her to the restroom, looking surprised at noticing the second prefect (he did not know him, but the colored lining of his robes told him he belonged in Ravenclaw) leaning against the corridor wall, a bit away from the alcove.

Gemma and Hillard followed Harry to the Gryffindor common room, the first year had looked a bit insecure about showing them where it was, but Hillard had told him bristly that all prefects had knowledge of the locations of all common rooms, which was necessary information in case of an emergency.  

Upon arrival at the portrait of the fat Fat Lady (a totally rude way to name a portrait and refer to a lady, Gemma thought), Harry turned back to them once again. “Am I in trouble for being out past curfew?” He asked, shily looking at his shoes.

“Not this time,” Harry, “but please be mindful to be back in your common room on time next time.” Hillard told the young boy.

“And if there is anything you are struggling with, you can always find my,” Gemma added, “I spend most of my free hours during the day in the library.”

Harry whispered a quiet thank you, as he turned around to face the portrait and mutter the password. “Goodnight, Harry.” Gemma said to him as he stepped through the entrance to the common room, before the portrait closed and hid him from her sight.

It was silent for a moment. “Let’s finish rounds, shall we?” She told Hillard, hoping that there would not be any more students to find so they also could return to their common rooms.

 

**Notes for the Chapter:**

> To be honest with you guys, I was logging on tonight to put an end to this story. It just does not feel as "alive" to me as 'Christmast at Malfoy Manor' has always had, and on top of that, I lost my entire written storyline when my laptop crashed. But I did not want to dump you all by just deleting this story, so I was planning on writing a short notice. And then I wrote this chapter instead, and for the first time in writing this story, it was like the characters were taking my on their journey instead of me taking them on mine (as in, the content of the chapter was supposed to be half of a chapter, with another story for the second half, but it turned out so much longer and elaborate that I just decided to run with it as a complete chapter). I don't know what the future for this story will hold, and I don't know if I will be able to finish it, or if I might finish it earlier than planned, but anyway there is right now a chapter for you.
> 
> Thanks to all the reviewers who inspired me to write this, and keep inspiring me! And thank you to all the faithfull readers who have been with Harry on this journey for about 17 months now (wow, that is huge!).


	7. DISCONTINUED

So, this story is discontinued and I will delete it in a couple of days.

 

I might continue the 'Harry and Malfoy Manor' story in a different way, possible through sets of one-shots outlying different scenario's I had in mind for Harry and the Malfoys to go through, but not anymore through a multi-chapter multi-storyline story.

**Author's Note:**

> Chapters will be of varying length, updates will be irregularly. If you don't want to miss anything, be sure to subscribe!
> 
> If you want to show some love for this story, and send me a reminder to write a new chapter, please write a comment. If you have questions/theories or anything else, I will definitely get back to you with a reply!


End file.
